KitKat

How many tablets do you know of that can provide you a good Android 4.4 Kitkat performance for under USD$100? Not a lot, we know. But Ematic is trying to get to this specific market by launching the EGD172, a 7-inch tablet that has specs you’d probably expect from this price range – nothing to write home about, but enough to probably secure a place as a Kitkat tablet for emerging markets.

For owners of Sony Xperia devices that were released in 2011, back when they were still Sony Ericsson, looking at all the advances that the OEM has made these past three years can be a source of envy. But now you can finally join the world of the new Sony Android UI that we’ve all been enjoying. All it takes is to install the “Xperia Overlay” firmware that will transform your 2011 phone into a new one, of sorts.

Motorola India has confirmed on its Twitter account that it will be rolling out the latest Kitkat update, Android 4.4.4, will be rolling out to its flagship phones, the Moto E, Moto G and Moto X. However, since it will come out in phases, the smartphone owners are told to patiently wait since it will not be available immediately to everyone.

And the rollout for the Android 4.4.4 keeps on coming! This time around, owners of the flagship HTC One M8 Google Play edition are the happy recipients of the OTA update to the latest version of KitKat. Reports are also saying that the updates for the GPE version of the previous flagship HTC One M7 are also slowly pushing out.

OEM Blu has released their initial list of devices that will be getting an upgrade to Anrdoid 4.4 KitKat. While there were some notable gadgets left off the list, a statement posted on their Facebook page assures consumers that they are working on having all their phones and phablets upgraded as soon as they can.

It’s about time that Samsung’s premium devices get some Android 4.4.3 love, even as other smartphones have already incorporated the version in recent updates. Motorola’s Moto E, G, and X have all gotten updates, as well as Nexus and Google Play Experience devices. The update is coming to the Galaxy S5 this month, while Galaxy S4 users have to wait until July.

Verizon Galaxy Note II users can now rejoice as your Android gadget finally gets its 4.4.2 update, turning your phone into a lean KitKat machine. The update brings with it new features including Google Hangout upgrades, integrated cloud storage, as well as resolving issues from its previous version. It also adds Samsung’s Knox security framework which is designed for companies who allow employees to bring and use their personal gadgets to the workplace.

The rationale for the original Samsung Galaxy Core smartphone was to provide a lower-end option for those who wanted a phone that looked like and acted like the current Samsung flagship phone at that point. The same is true with newly unveiled Samsung Galaxy Core Lite, probably one of the cheapest Samsung smartphone units to offer Long Term Evolution (LTE) connectivity included in an entry-level spec sheet.

Google has just announced their Project Tango 3D imaging smartphone will get a big brother. Moving from experiment to development kit, the Project Tango tablet will be available to a select audience later this year. A sign-up page for the device is active, but it’s likely not one you’ll want to try and snap up.

Have widgets been disappearing from your KitKat device? If so, you may not be alone, as HD Widgets is reporting what they believe is a widespread issue among Android handsets running 4.4. It’s causing quite a few headaches, and we’ve even noticed the issue ourselves.